DFAT Commits $51M to Boost Google’s Pacific Cable Infrastructure

The Australian federal government has awarded $51 million to Manta Ray Solutions LLC, a U.S.-based firm, to develop the Tuvalu Cable System, marking a significant milestone in Pacific telecommunications. This project, part of Google's broader Central Pacific Connect initiative, will bring Tuvalu its first undersea telecommunications cable, landing at Funafuti. The contract for the Tuvalu Cable System extends until March 31, 2027, with project management overseen by the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP).

This initiative stems from a commitment made in May, where $50 million was pledged by the Australian government, alongside $25 million from international partners, to support connectivity efforts in the Pacific. As part of broader regional infrastructure efforts, Australia is working in collaboration with countries like the United States, Japan, and India under the Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network, aiming to enhance connectivity across Pacific Island nations by 2025.

The involvement of Manta Ray Solutions LLC, headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, is notable, with its leader, Brian Quigley, also serving as Google's vice president of global network infrastructure. This highlights Google’s growing role in trans-Pacific cable projects, including the deployment of two subsea cables between the U.S. and Australia, passing through Fiji and French Polynesia.

The development of the Tuvalu Cable System is part of a broader, coordinated effort to enhance telecommunications infrastructure throughout the Pacific region. This initiative follows an earlier $37.3 million investment aimed at connecting several Pacific Island nations to the Hawaiki Nui cable system. Both projects align with the goals of the U.S.-Australian 'Innovation Alliance,' which has earmarked US$65 million for future submarine cable connectivity in the Pacific. This initiative is reflective of an overarching strategy by Australia, the United States, and their partners to ensure that even the most remote Pacific Island nations have access to reliable, high-speed internet.

These efforts are also in line with commitments made by the Quad leaders—Australia, the United States, Japan, and India—who have prioritized digital infrastructure in their regional development plans. The Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network pilot project, recently announced, is a further example of this cooperation. It aims to foster greater collaboration between nations like Tuvalu and their partners, such as the Tuvalu Telecommunications Corporation, to prepare for the eventual deployment of 5G technology throughout the Pacific Islands.

The $51 million allocated to Manta Ray Solutions LLC to develop the Tuvalu Cable System marks the island nation's first undersea telecommunications cable, which will significantly boost its digital capabilities. This new cable will land in Funafuti, Tuvalu’s capital, and will bring a long-awaited upgrade to the island's communications infrastructure. Managed by the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP), the contract will run until March 31, 2027, further demonstrating Australia’s commitment to strengthening telecommunication links in the region.

This initiative is also part of Google's Central Pacific Connect project, which aims to improve trans-Pacific subsea cable connectivity between key locations like the U.S., Australia, Fiji, and French Polynesia. Google had already been tapped last year to deploy two trans-Pacific subsea cables in partnership with Vocus, an Australian-based telecommunications company, to help deliver the overall project.

These combined efforts to deploy subsea cables, upgrade digital infrastructure, and eventually roll out 5G technology will not only boost internet speed and reliability for Pacific Island nations like Tuvalu but also open doors for economic growth, digital innovation, and better connectivity with the global economy. Moreover, it reflects strategic interests in safeguarding the region’s digital infrastructure, given the importance of the Pacific both as a key geographic region and as an area of growing geopolitical significance.

By ensuring robust, high-speed internet connectivity in the Pacific Islands, Australia and its partners are addressing not only current digital divides but also laying the foundation for the region's future technological and economic development. This initiative aligns with the broader vision of creating a resilient, well-connected Pacific, in tune with the Quad leaders’ commitment to supporting regional stability, growth, and security.